family nourishment
Making Meals and Sharing Food as an Act of Love
hunting down good-looking apples in the
produce aisle or stirring the soup with a
ladle at the stove top, then the more they
can develop confidence and self-sufficiency
in the kitchen.
• Let them serve themselves: Allow each
individual family member to scoop their
own dishes and desired amounts onto their
plates. This way they can feel they assert
what they like and that they are in charge
of how they nourish themselves. For the little ones, this is great work for dexterity and
hand-eye coordination, as well. Mind the
spills. We all make them. Keep a stack of
cloth napkins or washcloths near and they
can tend to their own messes, too.
• Share conversation: Ask each person
about their friends, the weekend plans, or
the funniest moment of their day. Demonstrate that meal time is a time of connection by inquiring about their lives. Show
them that eating can be a calm and enjoyable experience. Put your utensil down
between bites. Make eye contact. Breathe.
Laugh. Just be!
• Discuss tastes, colors and flavors:
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Everybody has favorite foods and flavors.
Discussing ingredients (especially if the
kids are already familiar with them from
having helped cook the dish!) helps children to understand the diversity of food
options, healthy combinations and the
distinction of taste with each food, herb
and spice in their meal. They will then be
able to practice effective communication
for what they like or prefer to have less of.
Again, this builds confidence and assuredness when it comes to self-nourishment.
• Converse about the origins of meal
ingredients: Discussing where food comes
from can be a natural transition into more
elaborate topics of community, economy,
plant life cycles, nature’s rhythms, seasons
and how we are all a part of a greater whole.
• Express gratitude: Share explicit ap-
preciation for the meals that we are able to
gather, prepare, cook and enjoy together
to link the act of eating to a heart centered
place within. When we experience a positive feeling during shared meal time, we
nurture a healthy relationship with food.
In doing so, we hold our nourishment
with high esteem and find importance
and value in the small tasks that add up to
home made meals shared with those we
love. When love is at the core of our need
to nourish our families, then quick options
and store bought substitutes become second-rate to the delicious and slow-cooked
meals we can create out of love and with
our own two hands.
• Above all, be flexible!: At the end of
the day, I am more concerned with how
my children experienced eating than the
specific food items that were on their plate.
Yes, homemade meals are essential for
health. Still, if I need to adapt for a night
or even a busy week, then allowing myself
permission to let go, be easy and focus on
how to nurture the relationship rather than
stress over the details is key. Trust you will
bounce back and realign again to emphasize family nourishment as an act of love.
In this way, health and fulfillment are a
natural by-product of the work, energy and
heart we put into feeding our families.